I started working seasonally fifteen years ago. I didn't intend to, at least not initially. I was young, a few years from having graduated university, and worked a short time for corporate America. Then, I got fired. The economy had plunged into a recession. Finding another full-time job proved futile.
In my desperate search for work, I stumbled across an online job site that featured seasonal jobs. Many of the jobs posted required relocating to a ski resort or national park. Fortunately, most of the employers offered affordable employee housing as part of their incentive package. Having few options left, I applied to a ski resort in Colorado and got hired as a guest service driver.
I spent that winter driving 60 hours a week, white-knuckling a steering wheel, chauffeuring guests through inclement weather to their chalets. While I earned far more money than I ever imagined, the season only lasted four months. When it was over, the resort shutdown, and I had to vacate employee housing.
Once again, I found myself with no job and no place to live. This time, however, I had more cash than I could spend, and big plans to travel the world.